His Royal Nibs

A young man dubbed “Cheerio” for his English background, clean appearance, and well-kept suit, unexpectedly arrives at the highly regarded O Bar O ranch with one goal in mind: to offer his services as a hired hand, and thus find a new start in life in a foreign land. The ranch’s foreman, Bully Bill, surprised and irritated by the unwelcome stranger, decides to give Cheerio the job after witnessing his cool composure in the presence of a startled herd, preventing the ranch owner’s son from getting injured. Cheerio proves his worth at every opportunity and earns the respect, both honest and begrudging, from riders and cowpunchers alike. His hard working day-to-day routine is balanced by his developing friendship with the boy he saved, Sandy McPherson, and the boy’s sister Hilda, for whom Cheerio develops a liking and who has become the subject of Cheerio’s artistic endeavors. Everything seems to be going well for Cheerio until an incident at the branding corral brings back uncomfortable memories of his past life. Being deemed a coward and a weak man by his boss and peers, Cheerio grasps at one final chance to redeem himself and achieve his dream: to play a nightly game of chess with Canadian champion and famous rancher P. D. McPherson. His Royal Nibs is a story of resilience, newfound love, and fresh beginnings inspired by Winnifred Eaton Reeve’s desire to write fiction set in Alberta, Canada after a career spent writing Japanese-themed works under a variety of pseudonyms, the most famous of which being “Onoto Watanna.” His Royal Nibs would turn out to be her last published novel.